Steve Albini, a musician and record producer known for his influence on alternative rock bands like Nirvana and the Pixies, has died. He was only 61. 

His studio, Chicago-based Electrical Audio, confirmed that Albini died of a heart attack.

A revered figure in the world of punk and indie rock, Albini was known for his anti-establishment attitude toward the music industry.

Albini first became known as the frontman for the noisy punk group Big Black in the 1980s. He was still active with his band Shellac, which is releasing a new album next week, at the time of his death.

Rock musician Steve Albini

As a recording engineer, he worked with well-known alternative rock acts like Nirvana, the Pixies, and PJ Harvey.

He rejected the term "producer," and refused to take royalties for his work in the studio.

“Once a band has signed a letter of intent, they will either eventually sign a contract that suits the label or they will be destroyed,” Albini wrote in a 1993 article, "The Problem With Music."

Albini crossed over into the mainstream when he produced Nirvana's last album, 1993's In Utero, which includes the hit song "Heart-Shaped Box." The album had a more stripped-down sound than its predecessor, the era-defining Nevermind. 

In Utero was a massive commercial success, placing number one on the Billboard 200 and going platinum five times.

Provocateur and industry critic

Albini grew up in Missoula, Montana, where he discovered the Ramones as a teenager. He began his musical journey as the frontman of Big Black while studying journalism at Northwestern University in Illinois.

As a bandleader, he became known for his abrasive sound and transgressive titles, like the controversially named group Rapeman. He would later apologize for his "edgelord" past. 

Albini had a reputation for freely sharing his opinions of perceived sellouts - he dismissed the Smashing Pumpkins as "insignificant" - and music he saw as overproduced.

"When I’m making a record with a band, the band is in charge. I am there as a technician, essentially, to make what they do every day as part of their normal life, to make that come across the speakers to someone listening at home," he said in a 1993 interview.

Among those who have paid tribute to Albini are comedian Conan O'Brien, who called Albini "a sharp, honest, funny, and uncompromising man."

I'm terribly sad to hear we lost Steve Albini - I met him recently in his studio and he handed out cucumbers from his garden. He was a sharp, honest, funny, and uncompromising man and I'm sorry for his family, friends, and music lovers everywhere.

— Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) May 9, 2024